MIDDLETOWN — The Common Council is expected to vote tonight on waiving the residency requiremet for the city’s police chief.

If approved, the amendment to city ordinance 74-31 would allow Police Chief William McKenna to live farther away from headquarters.

Under city ordinance 74-30, the police chief, deputy chief, fire chief, deputy fire chief, health director, public works director, water and sewer director, human resources director, general counsel, deputy counsel, parks director, finance director and IT coordinators all are required to become permanent residents of Middletown within one year of being appointed to their respective positions. Residency is defined as “being domiciled,” and the ordinance states that it is not enough t have a mailing address or post office box in the city.

“Failure of the appointed candidate to follow this section shall result in immediate termination,” the ordinance reads.

In 1998 the city added ordinance 74-31, starting a list of exceptions to the prior ordinance, which allowed then-police chief J. Edward Brymer to live in Wethersfield. This residence waiver, however, was not applicable to any future appointees of the position, the ordinance states. The city later amended the waiver list, also allowing a former fire chief, deputy fire chief and a former human resources director to live outside of Middletown.

In 2010, the residency requirement became a heated topic of debate at then-Mayor Sebastian Giuliano sought to appoint Acting Police Chief Patrick McMahon to the permanent job of top cop. McMahon bought a house in Middletown and registered to vote here, but he still traveled in his city-issued vehicle to Norwich regularly, where his wife and child still maintained a residence.

The council rejected his appointment to chief twice. McMahon was later dismissed from the department and filed a discrimination lawsuit against the city that was later dismissed.

The ordinane amendment for McKenna was submitted by Councilwoman Meghan Carta. It was approved by the General Counsel Commission on Nov. 25.